On August 12, 2026, an incident occurred in Novovolynsk, Volyn region, which once again raised the issue of the safety of employees of Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCC and SP). During citizen notification activities, a group of military personnel and police officers was subjected to an armed attack. As a result of the aggression, one of the servicemen suffered a stab wound to the abdominal cavity and was urgently hospitalized in critical condition.
Chronology of the Tragedy and Condition of the Victims
According to the Operational Command "West", the incident occurred during a joint patrol. Servicemen of the Volyn Regional TCC and SP were accompanied by officers of the National Police. While performing official duties, the group was attacked by an unknown individual with a cold weapon. One of the servicemen suffered a penetrating abdominal wound, which required immediate surgery. Doctors assess his condition as critical, although the patient's life is under medical control.
The second participant of the patrol suffered an injury to his hand. After receiving first aid on the spot and a subsequent examination, his condition is assessed as satisfactory. The police promptly detained the perpetrator under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Currently, investigative bodies are taking necessary actions to establish the motives of the attack and the circumstances of the incident.
Status of Victims: Combat Veterans
The military command emphasized that the injured servicemen are not novices, but experienced fighters. "Servicemen performing tasks as part of the notification group have experience participating in hostilities. Before serving in the TCC and SP, they were transferred due to health conditions," noted the OC "West".
This fact makes the attack particularly cynical, as the victims of aggression were people who had already proven their loyalty to the Motherland on the front lines, and now, being limited in physical capabilities, continue to serve in the rear. The command expressed strong condemnation of any acts of violence against veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war who continue to fulfill their duty to the Ukrainian people.
Contradictory Data
During the fact-checking of information about this incident, discrepancies were found in the geographical localization of events disseminated by various news aggregators. The Operational Command "West" and specialized sources unequivocally indicate Novovolynsk in the Volyn region as the place of the incident.
However, a number of news feeds (including Mail.ru and Unian aggregators) in their headlines and texts dedicated to attacks on TCCs during this same period, indicate Kharkiv and the presence of fatalities. This creates confusion in the media field: either we are talking about a series of attacks that took place on the same day in different regions, or there is an error in the initial reports. In this material, we rely on the official data of the OC "West" regarding the incident in Novovolynsk, where, according to the latest data, there are no fatalities, but there is a seriously wounded veteran.
Context: Large-Scale Checks and Repressions in TCCs
The incident in Novovolynsk takes place against the backdrop of a sharp activation of law enforcement agencies against TCC employees throughout the country. The National Police and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) are conducting large-scale checks aimed at exposing corruption schemes and abuses.
According to the latest data, suspicions have been raised against almost 80 TCC heads of various levels. Law enforcement officers seized more than 83,000 decisions of military-medical commissions (MMC), investigating facts of illegal deferment of about 2,500 military personnel. Searches were conducted in more than 100 TCCs. The investigation is investigating cases of bribery for evasion of conscription, as well as cases of abuse of power and beating of civilians. The authorities declare full support for the law enforcement system in the investigation of the attack in Novovolynsk and expect assistance from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights.
